As 2007 races to its conclusion, we thought we’d take a look at some critically lauded movies that audiences didn’t exactly rush to see, most of which are now available on DVD. Some of them have a shot at making Top 10 lists or getting awards recognition, which ought to give them a second life.

Then there’s the special category, the “Under a Million Club,” movies that grossed, in some cases, far less than that, less even than it takes to survive in the Bay Area for a year. Everyone expects that once you’ve made a movie, you’ve made it. Not so. Consider the case of director Karen Moncrieff, whose film “The Dead Girl” had Sean Penn gushing (see my ShortCuts blog at http://cctextra.com/blogs/shortcuts for more on that) but only made $19,875 in its theatrical release. Ouch.

This list of 20 Under-Seen Films is all about broadening horizons.

THE BEST MOVIES APPROXIMATELY TWO OF YOU SAW IN 2007

“Colma: The Musical”: Grossed $41,004. A musical set in Colma, that’s right, our Colma, the one with all the graveyards. A likable trio of diverse friends sing and dance their way through the transition from high school to college. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Scared off by the obscurity of the no-name cast? Or the limited release? WHY NOW: Like “Hairspray” but fresher, livelier and contemporary. On DVD now.

“The Dead Girl”: Grossed $19,875. A young woman’s body turns up in a field, and as the movie unfolds in chapters, we meet the people connected with her in life and in death. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Because dead girls are so depressing! And the distributor showed about as much interest in this film as it might in the acquisition of morning lattes. WHY NOW: The movie’s message — every dead girl matters — and the acting from a remarkable ensemble cast: Marcia Gay Harden, Toni Collette, Brittany Murphy and Kerry Washington. On DVD now.

“Grbavica: Land of My Dreams”: Grossed $43,460. In the aftermath of the Bosnian war, a single mother struggles with her adolescent daughter’s desire to know more about her absent father. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Subtitles? Limited release? This one passed me by in its short run as well, until I dug out the disc for this story. WHY NOW: Mirjana Karanovic’s heartbreaking performance as the mother and the film’s exploration of what war does, all too frequently, to women. On DVD now.

“Great World of Sound”: Grossed $22,011. A low-budget but wise comedy about a couple of guys who think they are becoming music producers helping new talents break into the business, when in reality they are unwitting con men. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Too busy watching “American Idol?” WHY NOW: It’s wit and willingness to expose the dark side of our fame-obsessed culture. On DVD Feb. 5.

“The Hunting Party”: Grossed $876,671. Richard Gere and Terrence Howard play journalists hunting for a Bosnian war criminal. Based on the true story of the misadventures of some macho men’s magazine writers. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Was “The Hoax” enough washed-up, wily Gere for one year? WHY NOW: It’s funny and smart and, best of all, different. On DVD Jan. 8.

“The Italian”: Grossed $552,546. In post-Communist Russia, a boy (Kolya Spiridonov) refuses to believe he’s actually an orphan and sets out to find his mother before an Italian family adopts him. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Confused? A Russian film called “The Italian”? Is it a sandwich? WHY NOW: Spiridonov gives the year’s best performance by a child. On DVD now.

“Killer of Sheep”: Grossed $399,884. Charles Burnett’s film about a man who works in a slaughterhouse was finished in the 1970s but never saw a proper release. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Only a select group of people make it to limited-release revivals. WHY NOW: Because it’s one of the most important African-American films ever made. Not to mention, poetry in motion. On DVD now.

“Mafioso”: Grossed $398,614. In this revival of a near legendary but barely seen 1962 film, a FIAT worker returns to Sicily with his young family, expecting it to be a happy visit from the prodigal son. Then he encounters the local Don. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Too busy with Tony Soprano to care about older mobsters? WHY NOW: A seminal work in the genre. On DVD in March.

“Manufactured Landscapes”: Grossed $395,623. An exploration of the spookily beautiful photography of Edward Burtynsky, who turns industrial waste into works of art. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Not exactly a scintillating topic for the masses. WHY NOW: Relevant and haunting, this is this year’s “River and Tides,” but with more of an agenda. On DVD now.

“Starter for 10”: Grossed $216,839. James McAvoy is a charming college student from the wrong side of the tracks in this English comedy set in the ’80s. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Admittedly, it’s slight, thus easy to overlook. WHY NOW: It’s also a lot of fun, and McAvoy is about to break out big time in “Atonement.” On DVD now.

“Stephanie Daley”: Grossed $25,751. A teenage girl (Amber Tamblyn) is prosecuted for killing her newborn. A psychologist (Tilda Swinton) investigates her mental health. WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT: Very limited release and downer topic. WHY NOW: Putting a human face on all those girls you’ve been appalled by, “Joan of Arcadia’s” Tamblyn is astonishingly good. On DVD now.

THE BEST MOVIES YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN’T SEE IN 2007

Most of the following made $10 million or less in the U.S., although “Waitress” was a player with $19 million.

“In the Shadow of the Moon”: A beautiful, inspiring documentary about the astronauts who went to the moon. Will be on DVD in February.

“In the Valley of Elah”: Tommy Lee Jones couldn’t be better as a father investigating the murder of his soldier son. Still in limited theatrical release.

“The Namesake”: Mira Nair’s saga of an Indian family in America is flawed, but what is right about it — its beauty and touching portrayal of a marriage that transcends its origins — is very right. On DVD now.

“Talk to Me”: Director Kasi Lemmon’s film about a pair of Howard Stern prototypes from the 1960s (Don Cheadle and Chiewetel Ejiofor) is smart, sassy and full of life. On DVD now.

“Waitress”: Just as sweet as you’d expect from a comedy about pregnant waitress (Keri Russell), who lives to make pies. But the twist is, her husband is a lout, and she’s smitten with her gynecologist. On DVD now.

“The Wind That Shakes the Barley”: A 2006 Palme d’Or winner about the early days of the Irish Republican Army. Cillian Murphy plays an aspiring doctor who gets roped into the fight. On DVD now.

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